Showing Out

Before Weezy F. Baby headed off to do his bid, he took the T.I. route and filmed a handful of videos in February (even though we probably won’t get to see them all - record labels lose steam after the first or second release). The latest visual to get released of a pre-incarcerated Wayne is the clip for “Da Da Da” off his rock-soaked album Rebirth. This one takes the documentary route, following Wayne as he hops out of a car and joins the band Mayday on the top of a building for an impromptu performance. This is Weezy’s Beatles moment, and we simply won’t take it away from him. Watch, enjoy.

Well Rihanna just isn’t keeping her video output on medium this week. Above is the visuals for her international single “Te Amo,” the second video release in a hot minute off her recently released Rated R (you can watch the clip for “Rockstar 101″ here). In this relatively dark, medieval clip, a woman shrouded in black S&M attire rolls up to a castle where she meets up with Rihanna for some sort of lesbian tryst. Remember the good ol’ days when Madonna kissing Britney and Xtina was considered offensively shocking? Eat your heart out Madge. Not only does Ri Ri have the visuals down, but she’s also singing about what she’s doing. Press play and enjoy.

Nah Right’s got this nice little series where they have artists do a video in one shot, and the latest to join up with the hottest rap blog on the ‘net is Reflection Eternal, who just dropped its sophomore album Revolutions Per Minute last week. For the series, Court Dunn directs this nice one-shotter by putting two poster-like images of the group side by side, with the Talib Kweli on the left rapping about one minute into the track, while Hi-Tek comes to life on the right to spit his verse on the second half of the song. Oh, you ain’t know he had flow though? Do your homework and check out both RPM and Train of Thought. Real hip-hop.

And here we’ve got another video from one-half of Outkast, the ATLien himself Big Boi. Daddy Fatsacks just dropped off the Chris Robinson-directed visuals for “Shutterbugg,” the Scott Storch-produced joint off of his upcoming album Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty, in stores July 6th. The clip sees Big Boi hitting up a cement soundstage where he fronts a silhouetted band who are soon revealed to be a gang of puppets that get mean on the instrumental tip. Soon, the clip turns into a crazy stop-motion trip, with Big Boi pulling his mouth open too wide (his skull basically cracks open) and a girl holding his head in her arm. You can’t make this ish up. Stick around for the Dungeon Family cameo, and make sure you cop that album. For real.

Given last week’s dismal sales, this week looks a whole lot better, especially for hip-hop. Nas and Damian Marley, who released their first full-length collaboration album Distant Relatives, did surprisingly well, selling 57,285 copies and landing them at number four, right behind Justin Bieber’s My World 2.0 (that one sold 61,828, upping its tally to 1,104,631 copies sold). Meanwhile, Usher stayed put at seven with Raymond vs. Raymond, selling an additional 40,801 copies and upping the overall cume to 721,224. B.o.B did aight with his debut The Adventures of Bobby Ray, which sold another 22,695 copies and bringing the overall sales mark to 170,488. Janelle Monae debuted at 16 with an impressive 21,749 copies sold of The ArchAndroid, while Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek) dropped behind her at 17 with Revolutions Per Minute, which moved 20,882 in its first week. But that’s about as far as hip-hop releases go this week. Check back next time to see if hip-hop holds on strong.

B.o.B tests his shutter skills in the video for his latest joint “Camera,” with director Isaac Klotz shooting some behind the scenes footage of a photoshoot for what looks like an American Apparel ad (probably not, but yet, those knee-high socks make us have our doubts). Of course, Bobby Ray doesn’t make an appearance in the video, but whatever, this is clearly meant to showcase the feminine build. Gratuitously, too, if we say so ourselves. Hit the play button and enjoy this one, and if you haven’t already done so, go out and cop B.o.B’s debut album The Adventures of Bobby Ray. Really good stuff.

Didn’t Trey Songz’s Ready already spawn like, six singles? This makes it seven. E-shrug. The above video sees Keri and Trey acting like a real married couple, locking lips outside their suburban abode and eating breakfast with their young baby girl. But soon, things take a turn for the heartbroken as Keri packs up and ships overseas, where she’s assumed to be doing a tour of duty as part of her army service. Not your typical romance video, right? Needless to say, the two use this acting opp to play tonsil hockey a little gratuitously, if you ask us. Hit the play button and ride out to the smoove sounds of Tremaine.

Guess who’s bizzack, back on the block? It’s none other than West Coast’s own Xzibit, who took some time off for a minute and returns with this funked out track “Phenom,” saddling up with his West Coast soldiers Kurupt and 40 Glocc for the Matt Alonzo/Skee.TV-directed video. In the above clip, X to the Z stays strapped with a heavy firearm, rapping in a dank, smoky room as the camera cuts to sexy, writhing ladies in the doorway. Typical. Be on the lookout for Xzibit’s forthcoming album MMX, which, if the timing of this video is any indication, should be coming to us in the next few months or so.

Ah yes, the morning after. Something that all you readers are surely familiar with. In the new video from Luda featuring Trey Songz, a foursome of gals wake up after a night of raucous partying (though their lip gloss is immaculately applied), plopping down on the couch and trying to recall exactly what had happened. Soon, the girls have a simultaneous flashback, remembering a night at the Las Vegas Palms Resort and Casino where they got hot and steamy with Luda and Trey, getting busy in the shower, in the hot tub, etc. We’d encourage you to check out Luda’s latest album Battle of the Sexes, but we’re going to go head and keep our dignity intact. The album was a mess.

Damn, this girl gets a gutter, especially for an up-and-comer. The above video comes courtesy of Pearl Future, who gets framed by directors Motion Family for the Yung Joc-assisted “DJ Slap My Song.” Getting it busy in the streets, Pearl Future links up with Joc in the thick of the night, posting up against graffiti-bombed walls and taking a ride in a precious little whip. And if the video doesn’t make it clear enough, here’s how she puts it: “No, it’s not some space odyssey shit. I make music. Cali hippie type with a gangster mentality. I’m not kidding. People have my password. Be glam, have fun!” Word.